Beauty Queen and Miss Universe Nigeria contestant, Perpetual Ukadike, is an entrepreneur, actor and humanitarian. Representing Jigawa State at the ongoing Miss Universe Nigeria 2023, she is also the founder of Girls Dream and Creative Foundation. Ukadike, who has the passion to build and inspire more Nigerian girls and women, tells TOBI AWODIPE that promoting leadership education and skills acquisition for women is a great way to build more confident women who would pursue leadership positions in creative spaces and entrepreneurship.
How would you say contesting for this pageantry furthers your goal of empowering young women?
Contesting for Miss Universe Nigeria will give my cause more visibility and amplify the message of leadership education and skills acquisition for women in the hope of inspiring more transformational young leaders.

You are an actor, a humanitarian and beauty queen; how are you combining these roles effectively?
I believe success is giving back to the society. As I am pursuing my passion in the entertainment industry and entrepreneurial world, it should give me leverage to do something for others who are inspired by my story. So for me, humanitarian services are ways to pay for the achievements I am making.

Tell us about your creative foundation; how are you using it to help young girls and women?
As an entrepreneur, financial independence built a level of confidence in me to pursue bigger goals for myself and that is the motivation behind the Girls Dream and Creative Foundation. If more women can be financially independent, we would have a society of more courageous women who would pursue their paths in leadership positions, business and creative spaces.

As a passionate advocate for women’s rights, how are you impacting the lives of women and girls?
What I do in my business daily is to groom and train women to build their businesses and encourage them to pursue financial independence. My non-governmental organisation is also inspired from this passion to empower women and build more skilled and confident individuals who are unapologetic about their goals.

How would you rate your chances at the Miss Universe pageantry?
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would say seven because I know I am 100 per cent prepared and capable of handling the responsibilities that come with the crown. However, it’s still a competition and nothing is certain but I am fully positive and keeping my fingers crossed.

As a role model for young girls, what life values would you want to impart with your work and life as a whole?
I have learnt that the harder I work, the luckier I get. So keep working hard and don’t give up on yourself and your dreams. Stay humble; do what you love and are passionate about. But most importantly, never forget where you come from, who you are and what you are fighting for.

You speak a lot about promoting inclusivity for women; how are you working towards this objective?
I believe it starts with us to prove to society that we can do more and we can be more. That is why it’s important to keep sharing women’s stories, growth, challenges and successes to inspire more women to step out of their comfort zones and fight for a seat at the table. I am constantly working hard everyday with hopes that more women are awakened with my story to achieve more. This way, we can build a society that is fair to women.

As one who has been prominent in many spaces and now an entrepreneur, how can young women thrive and succeed in these difficult times?
My friends send me messages saying how proud and inspired they are of my growth. People see success but don’t see the struggles, failures and challenges that were overcome. So, if I could push through the difficult times, you can too. The secret is in not giving up and putting in consistent hard work.

Some people have negative views on women that participate in pageantry; what is your take on that?

Pageantry is a very empowering opportunity for women; it is part of the way we contribute to our society and show the impact we are capable of making. I believe it’s important to educate the public more on pageantry and this can only be achieved through the media. The more enlightened people are on the true values of pageantry, the more the narratives will gradually change.

Tell us something you have done/do that positively boosts your career?
Learning everyday! This has skyrocketed my career, boosted my confidence and built my courage. Learning everyday reminds you that you don’t know it all and a lot can still be achieved. I would say it has disciplined me as well and groomed me to become a better person.

If you could change something for Nigerian women, what’s the first thing you would do?
Providing more opportunities for women in politics, entrepreneurship and creative spaces.

What major life challenge have you faced and how did you overcome it?
I think the biggest life challenge I have had is failure. I have failed many times that some times, I think I am incapable of success. It took me five trials before becoming the face of the beauty brand I currently partner with. It took me four years to build the kind of financial stability I wanted for myself.

This is my third trial in the world of pageantry. I am used to not getting things on a platter of gold. I overcame all these failures through hard work and resilience. The more I failed, the harder I worked and kept at it.

What inspires and keeps you going on this journey?
The women I can inspire; the dreamers I can share my strength with and the passion to support the promotion of a society that is kinder to women.

What do you do to relax; what are your guilty pleasures?
I love to travel; meeting new people and seeing new places have a way of rejuvenating me. As an actor, I watch a lot of movies to improve my craft. I love to sing as well in the shower.

What should your fans expect from you in the next few years?
Growth! I am a very ambitious person and I will definitely keep aiming for more. You will definitely see me in more movies, bigger women empowerment projects with my foundation and anything else life has to offer because I am ready to dominate the world.